Acceleration-actuated mechanism

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for driving a striker means and igniting a missile second motor responsive to acceleration forces. The acceleration forces act on a first latching means to unlatch a rotor assembly which operates a time delay mechanical movement connected to the rotor. Operation of the time delay mechanical movement releases a second latching means, and force moving means of the second latching means provides the power to drive the striker means against the second motor igniter.

United States Patent Inventor David B. Brown Huntsville, Ala. Appl. No. 787,524 Filed Dec. 27, 1968 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 Assignee The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army ACCELERATlON-ACTUATED MECHANISM 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 102/82, 102/78 Int. Cl F42c 9/04, F42c 15/20 Field of Search 102/82, 83, 78

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,978,983 4/1961 Okstein et al 102/83 X 3,387,561 6/1968 Reich et al 102/83 2,925,778 2/1960 Von Nemeth l02/78 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner.] J. Devitt Attorneys-Harry M. Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Herbert Berl and Charles R. Carter ABSTRACT: A mechanism for driving a striker means and igniting a missile second motor responsive to acceleration forces. The acceleration forces act on a first latching means to unlatch a rotor assembly which operates a time delay mechanical movement connected to the rotor. Operation of the time delay mechanical movement releases a second latching means, and force moving means of the second latching means provides the power to drive the striker means against the second motor igniter.

PATENTED mm 519?: 3.610.154

FIG. 2

David B. Brown,

INVENTOR I FIG. 3 I W Z? M g m ACCELERATION-ACTUATED MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of acceleration-responsive devices. After initial launching of certain missiles a second motor is ignited at a desired time after the missile has experienced a predetermined value of acceleration. The device of the present invention acts in response to missile acceleration to drive a striker, a predetennined time during integration of the acceleration, for impact with an igniter of a second mo- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A device for initiating movement of a striker means from a first position of rest to a second position of impact following a controlled time interval after the device has been subjected to acceleration force. The acceleration forces initiate unlatching and rotary actuation of a rotor that will cause operation of time delay mechanical movement means which releases a second latching means. Force moving means of the second latching means provides power to drive the striker means against the second motor igniter.

This invention may be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a sectional view of the acceleration responsive device in its latched position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the acceleration responsive device in its unlatched position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the rotor assembly in the latched position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In Fig. 1, reference numeral 4 indicates g'enerallythe acceleration responsive device. Support member 5 has an apertured end closure 6 connected thereto by fastening means 7. Closure aperture 8 is located adjacent second motor igniter 9, only partially shown. Rotor housing 10, located inside the support member, has an end closure 11 connected thereto by fastening means 12. Closure 11 includes a stop housing 13. having a stop guide chamber 14 formed on the inside thereof and striker means 15 formed on the outside of the stop housing. The opposite end of the rotor housing is closed by a plate assembly 16. Rotor assembly 17 is encased within rotor housing 10 and consists of a rotor 18 having a cavity 19in one side thereof, a weight 20 located in the cavity, a weight retainer 21 and weight retainer fastening means 22 for securing the retainer and weight to the rotor. A first latching means, shown in FIG. 3, for latching the rotor assembly to the plate assembly until acceleration forces cause the latching means to unlatch, includes a latching pin 23 attached to weight 20 for latching cooperation with latch hole 24 in the plate assembly. Spring 25 is located in weight chamber 26 for cooperation with said weight and a clearance space 27 to allowj movement of the weight against the spring due to acceleration forces.

Reference numeral 28 generally indicates the time delay mechanical movement means and includes helix nut 29, helix nut convolutions 30, helix shaft 31 and helix nut stop member 32. The helix nut is positioned in an opening in the rotor and extends from rotor cavity 19 through and beyond the rotor and is fastened to the rotor 33. The helix nut convolutions cooperate with the convolutions on one end of the helix shaft. Stop member 32 is fixed to the extreme end of the helix shaft to provide a means for transferring rotary motion of the rotor assembly to the helix shaft.

A second latching means latches the striker means in an inoperative position and is generally indicated by reference numeral 34. This latching means consists of flange 35 on the rotor housing, force driving spring 36, force camming surfaces 37 located on an end of support member 5 opposite end closure 6, release pins 38 located in plate assembly 16 and release slide 39 also located in the plate assembly abutting said release pins. The release pins are mounted for sliding movement in opposite holes 40 and are held in their inoperative position by the release slide. Plate assembly 16, release slide 39, retainer 21 and weight 20 all have an opening to allow the opposite end of helix shaft 31 to pass therethrough. Shoulder 41 is fixedly mounted on the helix shaft to act as an abutment for one side of release slide 39. Shoulder 42 is mounted on the opposite side of the release slide. The helix shaft is threaded at 43 for engagement with the plate assembly.

The operation of the acceleration responsive device is as follows: when a predetermined value of acceleration force is reached during missile acceleration, weight 20 compresses spring 25 and moves forward. This movement of the weight causes the first latching means, including latch pin 23, to unlatch thus releasing the rotor from the plate assembly. Continuing acceleration forces acting on the rotor causes operation of the time delay mechanical movement means. As rotor 17 moves rearward the helix convolutions of helix nut 29 revolves on helix shaft 31 thus imparting a rotary motion to rotor 17 and causing it to act as a flywheel or an inertial device as the rotor moves in a horizontal direction toward closure 11. When helix nut 29 comes into engagement with stop member 32, the energy accumulated in the rotor, due to the angular velocity of the rotor, is transferred to helix shaft 31 which now starts to rotate. As the helix shaft moves in the direction of the striker means, release slide 39 will also move in the same direction since shoulder 41 on the helix shaft will cause the release slide to follow the helix shaft movement. At the same time as the helix shaft starts to move in direction of the striker means, threaded end portion 43 of the helix shaft partially disengages itself with the plate assembly. After the release slide has moved a sufficient distance, it releases the second latching means including pins 38 and camming surface 37. Drive spring 36 acting on camming surfaces 37 force release pins 38 into the void left by the release slide. The disengagement of the release pins from support member 5 allows drive spring 36 to drive the plate assembly, rotor, housing 10, housing closures and striker means toward the igniter until striker means 15 contacts the igniter, more clearly shown in FIG. 2. Thus the second motor is ignited a calibrated distance from the missile launcher.

lclaim:

1. In a missile having a pair of rocket motors, a mechanism comprising: a support, an inertial device disposed for rearward movement to engage the second of said motors for percussive ignition thereof responsive to a predetermined value of acceleration of said missile; said inertial device being rotatably disposed in said support for delay of the ignition responsive to the predetermined value; latching means to secure said inertial means to said support and to release said inertial means responsive to the predetermined value; a rotor housing mounted in said support; a rotor assembly rotatably disposed in said housing and provided with a weight; said latching means disposed to secure said assembly and said weight in inoperative position, and to unlatch said assembly for rearward and rotational movement responsive to the predetermined acceleration force; time delay means connected to said assembly, and actuated by inertia thereof responsive to the unlatching to release a second latching means; and striker means for igniting said second motor responsive to the release.

2. A mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotor assembly includes a rotor having a cavity a weight located in said cavity and provided with a chamber, and a retainer for securing said weight in said cavity.

3. A mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said first latching means includes a spring located in said chamber for cooperation with said weight to retain the weight in latched position until the acceleration reaches the predetennined value.

4. A mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said time delay means includes a nut and provided with internal helix to the subsequent rotation.

5. A mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said rotor housing is provided with a pair of diametric holes and said second latching means includes a pair of pins and a slide disposed on said shaft for rotation therewith to retain said pins in said holes and in engagement with said support to secure said housing thereto, said support and said pins having surfaces therebetween for slidable operation of said pins to release said rotor housing responsive to rotation of said shaft. 

1. In a missile having a pair of rocket motors, a mechanism comprising: a support, an inertial device disposed for rearward movement to engage the second of said motors for percussive ignition thereof responsive to a predetermined value of acceleration of said missile; said inertial device being rotatably disposed in said support for delay of the ignition responsive to the predetermined value; latching means to secure said inertial means to said support and to release said inertial means responsive to the predetermined value; a rotor housing mounted in said support; a rotor assembly rotatably disposed In said housing and provided with a weight; said latching means disposed to secure said assembly and said weight in inoperative position, and to unlatch said assembly for rearward and rotational movement responsive to the predetermined acceleration force; time delay means connected to said assembly, and actuated by inertia thereof responsive to the unlatching to release a second latching means; and striker means for igniting said second motor responsive to the release.
 2. A mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotor assembly includes a rotor having a cavity a weight located in said cavity and provided with a chamber, and a retainer for securing said weight in said cavity.
 3. A mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said first latching means includes a spring located in said chamber for cooperation with said weight to retain the weight in latched position until the acceleration reaches the predetermined value.
 4. A mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said time delay means includes a nut and provided with internal helix convolutions, a shaft disposed for cooperation with a plate assembly and said convolutions to provide rotation and rearward movement of said rotor assembly; a stop member mounted on the end of said shaft for subsequent rotation of said shaft with said rotor responsive to rotational inertia of said rotor assembly; a pin disposed for engagement between said rotor assembly and said plate assembly and for release therefrom for the rotation responsive to the forward movement, and said shaft being disposed for threaded engagement with said plate assembly and for release therefrom responsive to the subsequent rotation.
 5. A mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said rotor housing is provided with a pair of diametric holes and said second latching means includes a pair of pins and a slide disposed on said shaft for rotation therewith to retain said pins in said holes and in engagement with said support to secure said housing thereto, said support and said pins having surfaces therebetween for slidable operation of said pins to release said rotor housing responsive to rotation of said shaft. 